About Canberra Birds

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Join COG Today and Help Us Care for Canberra’s Birds

Canberra and the surrounding region has the richest bird life of any Australian capital city – over two hundred species have been recorded here. From our largest bird, the Emu, to the smallest, the Weebill, the birds of Canberra present an ever-changing kaleidoscope of sizes, shapes, colours and sounds. Click below for some of the native birds most commonly found in Canberra’s suburban gardens, parks and bushland.

Objectives and Purposes

  • to encourage interest in, and develop knowledge of, the birds of the Canberra region;
  • to promote and co-ordinate the study of birds
  • to promote the conservation of native birds and their habitat.

What We Offer

Monthly Meetings

With informative and entertaining expositions by experts, local, national and from overseas. Meetings are friendly and informal, providing excellent opportunities for members to exchange information and seek advice from the expert and the experienced.

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Field Trips

Regular outings are held in places of ornithological interest in and around the Canberra region. These are ideal opportunities for beginners to share the bird watching experience and to learn from the more expert in the field. Weekend expeditions to more remote destinations are held at least twice a year.

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Publications

All Canberra Birds members receive our journal, Canberra Bird Notes, which contains contributions by Canberra Birds members on the local scene. Gang-gang, our monthly newsletter, keeps members up to date with meetings, outings and other news.

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Surveys

Canberra Birds conducts a wide variety of surveys covering birds of Canberra’s gardens, and lakes and bushland in the Canberra region. Surveys not only provide a useful focus for bird watching, but produce important information on which conservation policies can be based. The preservation of Mulligan’s Flat nature reserve is a good example of how survey information has influenced government policy.

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Canberra Birds Brochure

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The Challenge

All around us birds are under threat. From housing, roads, logging, mining, and poor land management. Each year, valuable habitat is destroyed and birds are forced to retreat against advancing development. Feral cats prey on young bush birds, wild pigs destroy irreplaceable wetlands and aggressive introduced species drive Australian birds from their niches.

Times are very tough for our birds. We must act now. Yet far too little is known about our birds and their requirements for survival. Where and when do they breed? What habitats do they occupy? Do they migrate, where do they go? What foods do they eat? How will further development affect them?

The Group

To ensure a future for birds of the Canberra region, we must learn more about their habits, nesting, feeding and migration.

Canberra Birds is committed to meeting the challenge of the study and conservation of native birds. From small beginnings 60 years ago, Canberra Bird has grown into a large, effective and influential organisation that supports research and puts its case on conservation issues.

We welcome anyone with an interests in birds: beginner birdwatchers, amateurs and professionals as well as those with a general interest in nature.

Code of Conduct

Purpose

To articulate the basic standard of behaviour expected by Canberra Birds committee members, and by volunteers and members when they are representing Canberra Birds or participating in Canberra Birds activities.

All Canberra Birds members shall:

  • act respectfully to all birders, whether or not they are members of Canberra Birds
  • not persistently and wilfully act in a manner prejudicial to the interests of Canberra Birds.

In addition, Canberra Birds volunteers shall:

  • practice common courtesy when dealing with Canberra Birds members and members of the public
  • act in the best interests of Canberra Birds.

In addition, Canberra Birds Committee members shall:

  • act impartially in decision-making and their interaction with Canberra Birds members
  • adhere to the Objects and Rules of the Association (the Canberra Birds ‘constitution’).

Committee

2025-2026

Executive:

President: Kim Farley
president@canberrabirds.org.au

Vice-President: Julie Hotchin
hotchinbridge@bigpond.com

Treasurer: Peter Miller
treasurer@canberrabirds.org.au

Secretary: Sandie Jones
secretary@canberrabirds.org.au

Other Committee Members:

Jenny Bounds
Bill Graham
Prue Watters
Chris Davey

COG Constitution

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Canberra Birds's Ethical Birding Guidelines

(Adopted by Committee 18 April 2024. The complete document is available here.)

Purpose

These guidelines outline the ways in which those interested in birds can interact with birds ethically and in alignment with the objectives of Canberra Birds.

The guidelines sit alongside the Canberra Birds Code of Conduct, which outlines expectations for how members interact with each other, with other birders and with the public. Together these two documents address how a responsible bird organisation expects its members to act.

 

Guidelines

1. Minimise Disturbance

Bird welfare is of paramount importance. Disturbance to birds should be minimised as far as reasonably possible.

  • In many cases, standing still or walking quietly and observing birds through binoculars or telescopes will not cause significant disturbance. However, if bird behaviour changes or birds become alert or alarmed, take flight, retreat into cover or cease feeding, the birder has approached too close.
  • Avoid standing in an exposed situation where you are very obvious to the birds, avoid bright colours and strong perfumes, and do not deliberately flush roosting birds.
  • The distance required between birders and birds will vary by species, situation and season.
  • The presence of even well-behaved dogs can disturb birds, so in most situations it is better to bird without a dog.
  • Large flocks of birds such as waders can congregate in one place that is rich in resources, and in those circumstances the impact of any disturbance can be magnified. Observe from a distance.

2. Nesting Birds

Take particular care not to disturb nesting birds. Nesting is a vulnerable part of the life-cycle, and disturbance can cause nest desertion and failed breeding. In addition, young birds are more likely to be sensitive to exposure or disturbance, particularly during inclement weather.

  • Do not watch nesting birds for an extended period, or repeatedly visit a nesting location to check on progress, without precautions to avoid disturbance. Your presence may alert currawongs or other predators to the presence of a nest.
  • Great care should be used to avoid disturbance of nesting individuals of rare or threatened species.
  • Precise locations of nesting birds should not be disseminated, and even greater judgement is needed on whether to provide locations of nesting individuals of rare or threatened species.
  • Some species, and raptors in particular, are especially sensitive to disturbance during nesting.

3. Bird Photography

Particular aspects of bird photography can expose birds to disturbance, stress or danger.

  • Do not take photographs progressively closer to a bird until it takes flight, retreats into cover or ceases feeding. Stay at a distance or in a less exposed location.
  • Take care not to congregate in large groups to observe and photograph a particular bird.
  • It is both illegal and unethical to interfere with a nest or its surrounding environment in an attempt to achieve better views or lighting.
  • These guidelines apply particularly to rare and threatened species.
  • A specific Birdlife Photography Code of Ethics has been prepared by the Birdlife Australia Bird Photography Group.

4. Large Groups and Frequent Visits

The impact of large groups or frequent visits to the same site can amplify disturbance.

  • Field trip leaders should ensure that activities of the group do not cause cumulative stress on individual birds observed, and should encourage use of good birding practices.
  • Ensure birding activities do not damage bird habitat, or create new tracks through previously undisturbed or bird-rich areas.

5. Playing Calls and Spotlighting

Use of call-back techniques or spotlighting is particularly contentious, and is not generally supported.

  • These techniques have the capacity to cause significant disturbance, particularly if used repeatedly, at excessive volume (for call-back), or for extended periods at the same site.
  • These techniques should especially be avoided during nesting season.

6. Respect Local Laws

Ensure birding activities do not break local laws.

  • Only enter private or leased land with the explicit permission of the land owner or lease-holder. Some ACT rural roads are simply rights-of-way through leased land, and some NSW Travelling Stock Reserves are subject to grazing permits that prohibit public access.
  • Take care of the environment and bird habitats. Ensure you do not leave rubbish behind, and consider removing rubbish left by others.

Partnerships Framework

Canberra Birds recognises that working in partnership with other allied conservation groups and organisations with mutual objectives can add significant value to projects that benefit conservation, research or education about birds of the ACT region. Canberra Birds has therefore adopted a Partnerships Framework to guide committee decisions about partnering with other organisations, including government agencies. The framework was adopted in April 2023 and sets out guiding principles to help Canberra Birds assess the value, risks and priorities for bird conservation and the availability of volunteer resources to support new projects and manage partner relationships.

Canberra Birds members have significant expertise in conducting formal bird surveys and other citizen science projects. Over the years Canberra Birds has partnered with many groups both in and outside the Canberra Birds Area of Interest. As an example, Canberra Birds partnered with the ACT Government’s Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate and the ANU Fenner School to obtain the resources and professional expertise for the data analysis included in the Long Term Trends in ACT Woodland Birds 1998 – 2019 report. This report is part of COG’s long-running Woodland Bird Monitoring Project. A list of publications resulting from other partnerships can be found here.

For further information about partnering with Canberra Birds, contact the committee: cogoffice@canberrabirds.org.au